Cruise Napoleon (Le Lyrial)

Description

In partnership with the magazine Point de Vue

PONANT is organising an exceptional 16-day cruise to commemorate the bicentenary of the death of Napoleon Bonaparte on 5 May 1821.

You will board Le Lyrial in Namibia then chart a course towards the island of Saint Helena to arrive on the day of the official ceremony, which will be held on 5 May 2021. Although this British territory, the site of his last exile, houses his tomb, it remains above all the place where Napoleon dictated his memoirs and sealed his legend. Offering an intimate and moving testimony of his last moments on the island, the Longwood Residence and the Emperor’s furniture have been preciously maintained and preserved by the French authorities and the Fondation Napoléon. During your visit, you will travel through history in a luxuriant and bucolic setting, far from the sombre image of the island.

You will then call at Ascension Island, some 1,000 km off the coast of Saint Helena. On this desert island, the British created a garrison to counter any hope of escape by the Emperor. Today the island is a veritable sanctuary for birds, marine mammals and green turtles.

You will then sail north along the maritime route taken in 1815 by the Northumberland, the ship that escorted Napoleon to Saint Helena and will enjoy a few days at sea before reaching Dakar, the lively capital of Senegal, which will be your port of disembarkation.

Trip Name

Cruise Napoleon (Le Lyrial)

Days

16

Overview

Vessel Type: Luxury Small Ship
Length: 142 metres
Passenger Capacity: 224
Launched: 2015
A sleek silhouette, a welcoming intimate atmosphere, discover aboard this new ship the philosophy that has made our sisterships such a success: the spirit of Yacht Cruises.
Sailing under the French flag, this magnificent yacht of only 122 staterooms and Suites, with balconies, will join our fleet in April 2015. You will be enchanted by the contemporary decor inspired by the our destinations and the blue light of the Vega star in the Lyra constellation. The result is a subtle variation around a palette of blues, ranging from the luminous delicate grey-blue of the Polar ice to splashes of the vivid turquoise blue found in Mediterranean coves
A refined ambiance is enhanced by the quality of the workmanship and materials: white Corian counters in the lobby contrast with the warmth of leather to recall a boat’s hull, while the central sculpture of enamelled pieces takes its inspiration from the sea. In the loungebar, the carpet picks up a tennis stripe theme symbolising a certain idea of cruising, one synonymous with French elegance and a chic seaside spirit.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Days 1 - 2 WALVIS BAY

On the wild coastlines of Namibia, you will feel the force of the encounter between the infinite dunes of the oldest desert in the world and the tempestuous waves of the Atlantic Ocean. A natural port in the curve of a bay formed by an old river delta, Walvis Bay is protected from the whims of the ocean by the natural barrier of Pelican Point. It is a real refuge for migratory birds, where thousands of pink flamingos and Cape cormorants mix with one of the largest Cape fur seal colonies in the world. On the Namibian coastline, the seals make the most of the Benguela Current, cold and full of fish, which comes up from the Antarctic.

Day 2 - Days 3 - 5 AT SEA

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Day 3 - Days 6 - 8 JAMESTOWN, SAINT HELENA ISLAND

Nestling in the hollow of a volcanic valley, Jamestown retains the charm of a small English village in the tropics. A centre of Napoleonic legend, the French authorities preciously conserved evidence of the Emperor’s exile on the island, including the Briars and Longwood House pavilions, the “valley of the tomb” and Bertrand’s Cottage. Escorted to Saint Helena by the British aboard HMS Northumberland in 1815, Napoléon died there in 1821. Far removed from the arid hell he described in the memoirs dictated to his faithful companions, you will discover that this natural fortress offers a very diverse landscape, from steep cliffs to fertile lands covered with lush nature.

Day 4 - Days 9 - 10 AT SEA

a:0:{}

Day 5 - Day 11 GEORGETOWN, ASCENSION ISLAND

Lost in the heart of the Atlantic, this arid island with a lunar landscape is not as deserted as we may believe. Its position has made it a military base and strategic air bridge for the British and the Americans. The first garrison was established in 1815 to prevent any escape attempt by Napoleon, who was exiled nearly 1,000 kilometres away on the island of Saint Helena. The forts and barracks of the Royal Navy from those times can be visited. Intense marine biodiversity surrounds this island. It is one of the most important breeding sites for tropical marine birds and green turtles , which leave their footprints on the island’s magnificent beaches before heading to the Brazilian coastlines.

Day 6 - Days 12 - 15 AT SEA

a:0:{}

Day 7 - Day 16 PRAIA (CAPE VERDE)

Disembarkation

Day 8 - Please Note:

Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

Start

End

Price From

Room Type

29-04-2021

14-05-2021

AUD $14,690

Superior Stateroom

29-04-2021

14-05-2021

AUD $15,880

DeLuxe Stateroom

29-04-2021

14-05-2021

AUD $43,640

Owner’s Suite

29-04-2021

14-05-2021

AUD $17,780

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 4

29-04-2021

14-05-2021

AUD $18,680

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 5

29-04-2021

14-05-2021

AUD $19,620

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 6

29-04-2021

14-05-2021

AUD $27,490

Deluxe Suite

29-04-2021

14-05-2021

AUD $32,200

Prestige Suite - Deck 5

29-04-2021

14-05-2021

AUD $33,810

Privilege Suite

29-04-2021

14-05-2021

AUD $41,940

Grand Deluxe Suite

29-04-2021

14-05-2021

AUD $42,360

Grand Privilege Suite

Inclusions

Partnership with the magazine Point de Vue.

Onboard conferences with the historian Jean Tulard, a leading specialist on Napoléon, Thierry Lentz, the director of the Fondation Napoléon and the writer and journalist Franck Ferrand.

In Saint Helena, visits “in the footsteps of Napoleon”: La pavilion des Briars, Longwood House, the cottage of General Bertrand and the Valley of the Tomb.

Discover the natural and cultural heritage of the island: Jamestown village, volcanic landscapes and the natural park.